Guest Hill 60 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 (edited) Going on from Will's piece on the pronounciation of Loos, can anyone give me pointers on the following places please? St. Quentin. (France) Is it St. Kwentin as in the Johhny Cash song? Holnon. (France) I say it as it is written.. Hol non. Lens. I have enough problems with the English language, and I'm hopless with foreign ones! You should hear me mutilate the Gaelic (Scots) language Edited 26 November , 2003 by Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 L'Aa ? Huy ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Lee Lens - I pronounce as Lons I know that St Quentin is not pronounced the same as Cash's St Quentin. Although I was told the correct French pronouncation on a tour, but as its not a place name I have to use very often I can no longer remember what it was. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 son-ken-'tan (emphasis on last syllable) with a nasal n and said virtually as one word But then apparently I speak Alsacien so who knows. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Lens - I pronounce as Lons Geoff Hello Geoff, Most of the people also pronounce it like that although it appears most of the locals drop the s-sound at the end. About the St Quentin: Gwyn is quite correct although the first part is pronounced somewhat differently, it is more a bit like the e in end. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 just had a thought on all this pronounciation stuff. who in the UK pronounces Paris the same way as the French do ie we say as it's spelt whereas the french pronounce it more like 'parie'. Another example I can think of off the top of my head is Nice, who in the UK pronounces it as the English word n-ice, everybody I know pronounes it as 'niece', similarly Albert - I pronounce it 'Al-bear'. Perhaps we should start saying Paris the same way as the French - just to show some consistency!! The more I think about it, the more Paris seems to be the exception to the rule really!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Geoff, Gwyn & Jan - Thank you very much, greatly appreciated! LB - L'Aa? Huy? If they are Gaelic words, then I'm lost! I've got Malcolm MacLennan's 'A Pronounciation and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language' and I can't see the words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 LB - L'Aa? Huy? If they are Gaelic words, then I'm lost! France, I fear. As beyond my O Level French as your Gaelic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 LB - L'Aa? Huy? If they are Gaelic words, then I'm lost! I've got Malcolm MacLennan's 'A Pronounciation and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language' and I can't see the words. Not that I speak either properly but.............. Cna do ag ionnsachadh na Frangeis! Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Wasn't it Sir John French's execrable but excusable mispronunciation of Huy that got Lanrezac all riled up and thinking French was an idiot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 26 November , 2003 Admin Share Posted 26 November , 2003 What is the correct pronounciation for Thiepval? Does it have an acute accent on the e? I have heard "te-epval" "theepval" "teepval" All suggestions gratefully recieved! Sir John Frenchs' awful french was about Huy Regards, Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Simon Bull Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Isn't it ironic that someone who spoke such apparently execrable French should be called French! Simon Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Could any one give me the correct pronunciaton for these- Bapaume- Bap-owm/ Bap-ohm/ Bap-owmay? Authuille- Or-theel/Owtheel/Owth-wheel? My french is as excerable as Sir John's , I'm afraid Regards Spike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Could any one give me the correct pronunciaton for these- Bapaume- Bap-owm/ Bap-ohm/ Bap-owmay? Authuille- Or-theel/Owtheel/Owth-wheel? My french is as excerable as Sir John's , I'm afraid Regards Spike Bapaume: Bap-ohm Authuille: Oht-wheel Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Thiepval is, I think, "te-epval". That's working on the basis that in French, if it's spelt the same , it sounds the same and I know someone called Thiery. However, on the same basis. If Paris is paree, then is Arras pronounced "Arra"? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 No John, contrary to what you might think the inhabitants call it ARRRAZZZZ Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 OK Is Serre pronounced Seer or Sair? or what I have always pronounced it in my own mind as Serray- until I was corrected! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Cna do ag ionnsachadh na Frangeis! Malcolm - Something about learning the French language, probably... cna = ? do = your, to, for? ag = ? na = don't, than? Did you pick up gaelic locally or do a course? Aye, Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Teach Yourself Gaelic!! hard book to get into. I did ( am ) not learning the French Language and not much Gaelic either! Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 27 November , 2003 Share Posted 27 November , 2003 Teach Yourself Gaelic!! hard book to get into. I have that book, it glares at me from the bookshelf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 27 November , 2003 Share Posted 27 November , 2003 Chris is correct in saying Huy was the name that FM French had trouble pronouncing, and if anyone watches the 60's BBC Great War, Spears appears in one of the early episodes relating the incident and gives the correct pronunciation. Also I was told earlier in the year that Mametz is pronounced Ma-may is that correct Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 27 November , 2003 Share Posted 27 November , 2003 I say again: L'Aa Huy Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 27 November , 2003 Share Posted 27 November , 2003 I feel the Forum Users Official Phonetic Pronunciation Guide, with Accompanying Tape or CD, coming on... Just the thing to while away that tedious journey to the Channel Ports. Pop it in the car's CD player and you're well away, chanting and muttering to yourself as you drive, like some sort of mantra. I'll do the copy and the promotional blurb if someone will do the techy bit. Gwyn... sen-ken-tan... sen-ken-tan... sen-ken-tan...sen-ken-tan...sen-ken-tan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 27 November , 2003 Share Posted 27 November , 2003 When I was in a NATO team assessing NATO Air bases for readiness for war, there was a convention that, the team being a very mixed bunch, with English as the official language, everything was Anglicised to the nth degree by all. Hence Bruxells, which gave a lot of pleasure, not only at Christmas. Oh, and L'Aa? My efforts sound, shall we say, constipated? Whereas Huy sounds as if I am sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 27 November , 2003 Share Posted 27 November , 2003 Chris is correct in saying Huy was the name that FM French had trouble pronouncing, and if anyone watches the 60's BBC Great War, Spears appears in one of the early episodes relating the incident and gives the correct pronunciation. Langley I hope you have a copy of the above series because there's no way I could pronounce verbally let alone spell the pronunciation. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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